UpliftWI Going Strong After Launch One Year Ago

UpliftWI Going Strong After Launch One Year Ago

Peer support warmline for mental health and substance use receives over 16,000 calls in first year

In its first year, UpliftWI, Wisconsin's phone service staffed by people who offer hope and knowledge gained from their experiences living with mental health and substance use concerns, answered 16,508 calls for support. UpliftWI is operated by Mental Health America of Wisconsin under a grant from the Department of Health Services (DHS).

"UpliftWI's inaugural year has shown it's a critical resource for people experiencing mental health and substance use challenges," said DHS Secretary-designee Kirsten Johnson. "Calling UpliftWI is like talking with a friend. The operators understand the stress of these difficult situations and can help navigate them based on their lived experiences."

UpliftWI is known as a warmline, a non-emergency program designed to diffuse difficult situations before they become a crisis through conversations and connections between people with similar life experiences. Staff are available daily from noon to midnight by calling 534-202-5438. They have access to interpreters to support calls from people who do not speak English.

The staff of UpliftWI are certified peer specialists. A certified peer specialist is a person who has navigated their own mental health and substance use concerns, completed a training course, and passed a state exam that tests their skills in how to support others. They listen to the caller's needs, help them problem solve, and provide information on community resources if requested. The support offered by UpliftWI is free of charge.

UpliftWI is an anonymous and confidential service. Callers are not required to provide their name, address, or other identifying information. The conversation stays between the caller and staff person unless the caller requests support from others.

When seeking grant applications for this project, DHS estimated a statewide warmline would receive 10,000 to 13,000 calls per year based on the number of calls answered by regional warmlines in Wisconsin.

The type of support provided by UpliftWI is also available through drop-in visits to a peer recovery center and scheduled overnight stays at a peer-run respite.

People experiencing a mental health and substance use crisis should call, text, or chat the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Call 911 if the emergency is life-threatening.